Laundry detergent can be expensive, and using too much soap can break down the fibers in your clothes. So try this all-natural hack instead: Add a little baking soda to your washing machine. Baking soda softens the water, so you can use a little less detergent to do a load of laundry. It naturally helps brighten whites and colors, too. All you need to do is add half a cup of baking soda to top-loading machines and just 1/4 cup to front-loading machines.

When reaching out to your elected officials, it may be easiest to send a tweet or post a message on their Facebook wall, but the reality is that those interactions often get ignored. According to former congressional aide Emily Ellsworth, the two best ways to get your opinion noticed are to write a letter and to make a phone call. If you can do only one thing, make the call. Your comments get recorded and shared with those who relay constituent concerns with the elected official.

It’s important to clean the inside of your reusable water bottles to remove grim, mildew and bacteria. But getting a brush through a narrow opening can make it very difficult to scrub clean. Instead, fill the bottle halfway with a mixture of white vinegar and water, then add several ice cubes and screw on the cap. Shake vigorously. The vinegar will disinfect, and the ice will agitate, loosening all the grime inside. Dump it out, rinse with water and you'll have a perfectly clean water bottle.